Gas Hounds
It can be hard to put into words what exactly makes the Gas Hounds such a formidable threat. Some argue it's their sheer size, numbering in well over the hundreds, while others point out an array of weapons that would put most, if not all opposition to shame. Some, especially among the Rangers, have pointed to a sheer intimidation value reserved for only the Gas Hounds; huge pillars of fire and smoke emit during the day from Lake Charles, while at night a furious glow sets the Gas Hounds refinery apart from anything else in the area. Meanwhile, in the oil fields of East Texas, especially around Kilgore, the corpses and prizes of fallen foes hang from every pump and tree in the area, painting a vivid picture of how pointless it is to contest the Gas Hounds. Walking to Kilgore will give you a view of everything from wastelanders and other raiders, strung up by their guts, to even Rangers and a handful of Lobber soldiers, their bodies left to rot in their broken armour, icons of the fury and aggression of the Gas Hounds, things that can only be experienced by foolishly wandering into their territory. The Gas Hounds are an advanced group of raiders in the heart of Texas, and it can do the mind good to think of how much worse things would be if they spread out beyond their territory. Due to their position of influence as one of the only producers of viable gasoline in the Wasteland, a number of enemies have arisen to attempt and dislodge the Gas Hounds. While numerous raider gangs fall on Kilgore in attempts to occupy the Gas Houndsprimary front. A major enemy to any who have crossed their path and been able to summon up an appropriate response, the Gas Hounds are well-known to the east and south, and have a distinction that goes as far as Mexico City. So far none have managed to even make a dent in the GasHounds, and that's for one very good reason - mercenaries. Few raider groups in the Wasteland employ the importance of commerce like the Gas Hounds do. Slavers do, but few raiders, and to their benefit the two have come to meet in the Gas Hounds territory as of late. Countless victims are cut down by the Gas Hounds, but many others are taken as prisoners, and traded across Texas and Louisiana as slaves. This alone has been a viable source of income, but it was neither the first, nor the most lucrative to the Gas Hounds, and instead they have been making a massive profit from the sale of some of the only true refined gas in all the Wasteland. Numerous groups in the Texas Wasteland make use of gasoline, for both vehicles, robotics, and miscellaneous machinery, and these same groups have been lucky to have a close connection to the Gas Hounds. With the income booming, the Gas Hounds employ numerous mercenary organisations in outposts through their territory, effectively defending the area without welcome unwanted personnel into major locales. Wealth, allies, and a legacy of intimidation have ensured the Gas Hounds a place in the Wasteland as unique as any other. Defensible, well-armed, and intent on doing nothing more than surviving, and violently, the Gas Hounds are comfortable and safe, more so than most others. Even still, there are plans to go further; the Sparberry Trend to the far west in Texas could provide yet more oil, and a refinery in Three Rivers is the most primary target of the Gas Hounds now, though few can predict when, or even if, they will make their move. Stats: Bounties! WIP Overlord Sheggar Karmin (Suggested Level 5) "Few people demand as much fear as Shegger Karmin. Earning the title 'Overlord' by ruthlessly eliminating dozens of opposing raider lords in the west of Texas and most of New Mexico, bringing their gangs either into the fold of his organisation or wiping them out. He's ruthless, but he's more than that - he's smart and he's cowardly, and that means he's an impossible target. He hasn't been seen out in open combat in well over fifteen years, and since then he's turned a town into an empire. Some of the best infiltrators in the Texas Rangers have failed to get close to him, and reports that he utilises the tools taken from a slaughtered Brotherhood of Steel squadron are assumed to be accurate. If you can get close to him, put a bullet in his brain. If you can, by God knows what means, get him in irons, make sure you bring him to the Pen. He'd be the ultimate symbol of our victories against the raiders. We do not suggest taking this individual on if you're anything less than the best in the Wasteland." As self-indulging and arrogant a man like Sheggar Karmin is is rare. Few can come close to his level of conceited attitude, holding himself above the greatest oppositions he's seen as well as his dearest allies, and treating none with the respect they deserve. Even still, he knows who is worth what, and is never going to sell someone short when it comes to pay and authority; he'd talk down to his second-in-command, and then give the man control over every raider in the east. Of course, Karmin's look does help him get away with his attitude. Sheggar Karmin is a man well into his fifties, though you wouldn't tell by looking at him. Short dark-hair, with a single grey streak and shaved sides, perfectly outline a face riddled in scars and wounds, though no bearing of age can be seen. Few wrinkles are noticeable, hidden behind dark skin and good health, tying in to a thick, muscular body, built for combat. Along with that, the Overlord of the Gas Hounds wears a suit of modified power armour, with major additions made to the arms, chest, and helmet, in the form of numerous blades, additional plating, and skeletal ornaments respectively. Karmin almost only ever uses a his personally customised slaughterhouse special, the 'Big Texan,' to rip apart anyone who manages to wander into his home unannounced. 8 5 6 6 6 4 5 Reward for killing Sheggar Karmin: Equivalent to 7 Large Hides, Unique Weapon 'Big Texas' Reward for capturing Sheggar Karmin: Equivalent to 10 Large Hides, +30 Texas Rangers Rep, +50 West Texas Rep, +50 Junkheads Rep Lady Sav (Suggest Level 5) "Who'da thunk that raiders are willing to get married? Maybe it says more about Karmin, but it's interesting. Lady Sav used to be a member of her hometowns militia, a hard-working girl who fought raiders and beasts day-in day-out. She was strong minded, but she wanted more, and she got it. Joining the Gas Hounds saw her climb through the ranks in a heartbeat, her shocking passivity ensuring the Gas Hounds got more than a handful of men from massively populated locations they wiped out. Sheggar Karmin took a liking to her, and the two tied the knot. Now, as far as anyone's concerned, she's his greatest weakness. She fights in raiding parties, she leads more than fifty men at a time, purely to intimidate towns into submission. She's a threat, sure, but she's made more threatening by her battalion and its sheer numbers. Fact is, she's not someone we would benefit from being dead; her boys would run rampant all over Texas, and it'd only piss the Gas Hounds off. That's why we want her captured. She'll give us a means of influencing the Overlord, and it'll mean we can actually put an end to the Gas Hounds, if we're lucky. Whether he attacks personally, or begs for her back, we win either way. Get her to us, and you'll be a God damned hero." Few people would assume that, of the two, Lady Sav is the more savage leader of the Gas Hounds. Known as the kind-hearted face to the townies and farmers of the Wasteland, within the boundaries of the Gas Hounds land she is a ruthless monster, often executing men and women for simply looking at her wrong. Lady Sav is barely over half the age of Sheggar Karmin, and it shows. Her youth is easy to see to many, as she has avoided taking almost any injuries in a near ten year career as a raider, and a five year career in the militia. Piercing green eyes and dark Latino skin give away her Mexican heritage, with thick black hair making her standout among the mohawks and spikes of her cohorts. Lady Sav wears a unique outfit, built on pre-war combat armour, with the shoulder pads replaced by human skulls, and numerous small trophies in the same vein dangling from her attire in every spot. Along with this, the entire outfit is pained in white, the stains of blood and dirt left to decorate her and ensure people see how much of a life she has lived. Her trademark firearm, the high-caliber revolver 'With Blood' was a gift from the Overlord, a rusted and broken looking weapon that manages to operate in near peak condition, utilising Sav's pinpoint accuracy to put down the enemies of the Gas Hounds. 4 10 5 7 5 5 4 Reward for capturing Lady Sav: Equivalent to 7 Large Hides, +20 Texas Rangers Rep Reward for killing Lady Sav: Equivalent to 2 Large Hides, +25 Junkheads Rep, Unique Weapon 'With Blood' Butcher Mulligan (Suggested Level 4) "Some raider bosses like to keep themselves surrounded, and Butcher Mulligan is that sort of raider. Never seen without a retinue of five men at his sides, Mulligan is a macabre sadist, and you'd be better off putting a barrel in your mouth than you would being captured by him. His raider buddies like to shoot and kill, but he prefers to bring people back to his region of authority in Midland, where he'll turn you into another pet project of his. Some say you shouldn't let his name fool you, but there's no proof to say he knows a damn about cutting a person open. Scouts report people, both living and dead, hanging from pikes and poles with their organs hanging out, their eyes dangling, all sorts of horrid thing. You'd never know if some live due to skill, or sheer horrid luck. Mulligan's a sick bastard, and he's someone we want dead. His guards are a big threat, but so is he, and there's no point taking on him, or anyone in the Gas Hounds, if you can't handle someone like this." Butcher Mulligan isn't the strongest looking figure, but he's one of the highest ranking members of the Gas Hounds, a position earned through hard work and dedication. Slick clothing distinguishes him from most others, as he likes to consider himself above those who operate with him. Short ginger hair, an oddly large ginger beard, and beady black eyes make for an oddly recognisable figure, if not the most imposing. With weapons and armour often rotating between him and his employees, it's hard to be sure of what to expect. Caution is advised. 5 8 5 6 4 7 5 Reward for killing Butcher Mulligan: Equivalent to 5 Large Hides, +20 Junkheads Rep Kill-O-Watt (Suggested Level 4) "No clue what good this guy is to the Overlord, or even the Gas Hounds as a whole. He shows up out of nowhere, exclusively fucks up raider gangs, and then leaves. All reports indicate he's an assassin, but then all sorts of opposition against the Gas Hounds are dealt with by less subtle methods. Seems like he's just something Sheggar likes to use at random, and that, more than anything else, makes him utterly terrifying. According to scouts and captured raiders, Kill-O-Watt utilises stealth technology of some sort to sneak into position, before activating a pair of long power cords electrified by a back-mounted battery pack, using them to eliminate opposition all around him. People never get a good look at him through the surprise and all the flickering electricity, but he's wearing decent enough armour to take multiple shots and keep walking, and he's got to be skilled enough with them to be able to wipe out almost entire camps of raiders. We want him dead, but it's best you don't do it alone." Kill-O-Watt is a short man, but equipped with enough armour and medication to make up for a minimalist stature. His weapons, a pair of deadly electrical whips, have an impressive length easily outreaching short-range weaponry, and a shock value that has been tweaked by Kill-O-Watt to hit just over 100 milliamps, easily killing anyone it touches. It is suggested to take on Kill-O-Watt at either long range or in a large group. 1 7 6 4 4 10 5 Reward for killing Butcher Mulligan: Equivalent to 5 Large Hides, +20 Junkheads Rep